String quartet

I wrote this for piano solo one month ago, one week ago I rewrote it for string quartet.

Most people liked the piano piece. Only someone said that the part from measure 27-30 was too "Hans Zimmerish" I kept the chords at that part but I made another melodie with lots of delays (is that a correct english music term? I mean notes that doesn't fit in the chord, en then solve to a chord note)

I had to hurry making that part (I had to leave for the music camp where we were going to play it) and there are some weird notes I think. I just don't know wich ones and how to improve.

It is quite short... And I was thinking of making variations on the themes. What do you think?

Let know what you think!!

string quartet.sib

string quartet.mid

I like it! Seems to have a Central/Eastern European feel to it.

Where's that piano piece you mentioned? Wouldn't mind giving that a listen.

Thanks :whistling:

The first theme is indeed gipsy-like.

Here you can find the piano version. The ending is completely different. It was too much when I rewrote that for strings. I don't really like the ending of the string quartet, but it was the best I could find. Suggestions?

I don't have Sibelius, so can't give you direct bar numbers, unfortunately. But maybe you could try and work the riff between 2:15 and 2:17 into a more tumultuous ending. But I'm just saying what I would do and it's really only an opinion.

I have to say that I prefer the piano version myself. :D

Very nice. It sounds sorta like a march to me. I'd have to agree with you that the first theme is very gypsy-like.

Thanks

The riff between 2:15 and 2:17 you are talking about. I first wrote the quartet more like the piano version in the ending, but it was too much. (I added that version so you could hear for yourself)

Why do you like the piano version more? Because of the ending? Or just everything?

In the string version in the main theme I like the dissonants in the accompaniment. That's a point where the string version is much better than the piano version. But the ending of the string quartet is weak, that's were the piano version is beter

string quartet earlier version.mid

string quartet earlier version.sib

A very fine composition. It reminds me a bit of the theme music of some TV5 (French) TV shows, but they would often use an accordion. The quick runs in the A part are very pianistic and favour the piano version, but the B part of the later string quartet version is excellent. It is harder to judge the string version from the midi which does less "danage" to the piano. Definitely a piece that could be made longer with some variations.

Enjoyable. Gypsy-esque, rhythmical, ballabile and fun to perform.

Can't comment more without a (pdf) score.

Cheers!

Thanks! I'm glad you like it.:)

What does ballabile mean?

I would like to add the score but I can not save it as a pdf file, I can save it as TIFF or EPS but those aren't valid file extensions. If somebody knows how to solve that I can post a score.

There are many PDF printers out there for free. I use primopdf and am happy with it (I also use Sib.). Once you install one, just hit print and choose the pdf and a new file will be generated and put where you want it.

I agree with those above, I can feel the gypsy in you coming out.

Ballabile is an Italian word that means the piece is suitable for dancing.

Before anyone gets impressed with my knowledge, I will confess and say I had to look up the word.

Ron is right - ballabile means that the piece has a dance-like quality. You can download a pdf maker for free.

I tried to hit print, and I could save it as pdf, so I already had one:P

Here it is...

string quartet.pdf

Not really my cup of tea, but nice piece, very catchy and it does have a gypsy dance feel to it. Well done.

Thanks :musicwhistle:

Why isn't it your cup of tea? I searched if you have posted some of your works, but I couldn't find anything. It would be nice to extend my spirit by listening to people's music who don't agree with me, and try to understand how you listen/think. That's what I like so much about this site... Every person notices and likes different things. And you can learn alot from that.

Thanks :)

Why isn't it your cup of tea? I searched if you have posted some of your works, but I couldn't find anything. It would be nice to extend my spirit by listening to people's music who don't agree with me, and try to understand how you listen/think. That's what I like so much about this site... Every person notices and likes different things. And you can learn alot from that.

I did put a track here sometime ago but i've changed that piece a bit, i'll put some stuff here soon.

It's not your fault, i'm just very picky and i tend to like more modern classical, my favorite string quartets are shostakovich and Bartok which are a bit darker and melancholic and sometimes quite heavy, i tend to like stuff like that.

So it's just a matter of taste, and the fault is mine actually :toothygrin:

I enjoyed it too. I also thought it had an Eastern European feel to it. By the way, the English word for a "delay" is a suspension which then resolves onto a chord note.

Thanks! Suspension, I'll try to remember it :)

I'm more for romantic music, early and late. So let's say from Beethoven till Rachmaninoff. I can really enjoy classical music and baroque as well. But I like modern classical music less... Maybe I should listen to it more, because when you don't like something you don't tend to listen to it often. I'll try and find your favorite string quartets and listen to them :)

Thanks! Suspension, I'll try to remember it :D

I'm more for romantic music, early and late. So let's say from Beethoven till Rachmaninoff. I can really enjoy classical music and baroque as well. But I like modern classical music less... Maybe I should listen to it more, because when you don't like something you don't tend to listen to it often. I'll try and find your favorite string quartets and listen to them ;)

I'm more from beethoven forward eheh

Classical very few, baroque only bach when in the mood.

Late romantic(rach for instance) and modern and some contemporary for me, but i can apreciate a good piece even if it's not my "style" :)

I think that the best quality is its modulation, a very good piece from that sense.

I've had a good listen to both the piano and the quartet versions and I think they're both great. You do have a better B-A transition in the quartet version though. As far as the "Hans Zimmer-ish" bit, I wouldnt really change a bit of it, I think it fits perfectly at that point in the piece.

:thumbsup:

Very interesting piece - gypsy stuff like this goes straight to my heart :D Kind sounds like early Bart

Very well, it was very to my liking, and as Qc stated, it also reminded me of a polka. I like this version better than the piano thing and the ending is not that bad, after all, even though it could maybe be a bit more developped.

It reminded me of Rondo Veneziano, I think that was the Zimmerish part, but very well anyway. I'm proud of you! :)

And, as it was said earlier, I would have expected your ending note to be pizzicato, in my opinion it matches the piece better.

Well it was certainly fun. I would suggest two thing (I don't know if they've already been said) maybe you could the themes to the cello and viola. I think you could develop the theme more before your B section (just a little) maybe go through some more keys and give the A section a little more direction. You could also maybe vary the accompaniment especially during the A' section.